An Open Letter to Carlos Tevez

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For five years now you’ve been a shedload of trouble for the entire English Premier League. With this letter, I’d like to invite you to please stop moaning about the loneliness of Northern England and return to Argentina as you have for so long suggested you’d prefer.

The biannual farce which into which the “Carlos Tevez submits Transfer Request” headline has degenerated – which while admittedly spurring me to write this letter – has become a parody of a a parody, like a Monty Python sketch which starts funny but then feels as if it never ends. While we all understand how trying it is to be parted from friends and family (some of us have even shared your heartbreaking isolation in a country in which we do not speak the language), complaining every six months about a situation into which you walked of your own volition has turned what begun a sympathetic posture into a cynical one.

Please understand I’m not trying to minimise the pain of separation from your daughters at all. It’s just the predictability with which this storm-in-a-teacup occurs means you have exhausted any supply of public sympathy for your plight. (And “earning” 200,000+ a week should preclude us from using the world “plight” anyway). Unless it is for obviously laudable reasons a transfer request is often met with scorn from your current team’s support base. After being trotted out several times now, the recent spate of “I miss my daughters” has morphed from a tragic reality of a footballer’s life into seemingly a ploy where – though undoubtedly true you miss your girls – the aim seems to be directing public ire away from you in a situation almost entirely of your own creation.

It was said of the great basketballer Shaquille O’Neal that, with the exception of his last teams Boston and Cleveland, whenever he moved clubs, he did so amidst acrimonious circumstance. The same could be said of you – at Boca, at Corinthians, West Ham and finally Manchester United you have left more enemies than friends. Which, on the face of it, is really quite sad and perhaps – just perhaps – gives the public eye a big glimpse of your inner happiness. In a game where one often has to look out for themselves first, you and Kia Joorabchian have done so admirably; but if your latest statements are to be believed, it hasn’t contented you.

Many of us have had to move intercontinentally. It is exceedingly difficult, though ultimately rewarding – it allows us to grow, to see that life is much larger than the small corners of existence we previously inhabited. Some of us are rewarded romantically, spiritually or even fiscally for the pain of separation.

You certainly have earned signficant monies as a result of your footballing success – so why not put some of that where your cakehole is? Rather than having said sweet baked good and eating it too, take (one mother of ) a pay cut to play in South America – for none of us are able to figure out how Madrid or Milan – or, heaven forbid, Chelsea – are closer to Argentina than Millionaire’s row in Cheshire. It’s not that we don’t feel for you, but many of us think you’re trying to use this situation to your gain. It seems your position is that you are disadvantaged by playing for City; a move to Real or Inter would be “fair”.

Unfortunately, that is a posture for the misguided.

In careers, we are forced to take the good with the bad. In football, if you want the big bucks and the best competition, you are forced to move. It is a flat fact of existence at the top level of almost any profession. Sacrifices must be made for a career – or for family. And while we applaud you for your devotion to your daughters, we also implore you to put up, or shut up. For the ball is in your court.

Sincerely,

A very bored former admirer.

Matthew Wood regularly contributes to Soccerlens. You can find more of his analysis and commentary at Balanced Sports, or follow him on Twitter @balanced_sports.

Comments (10)

Aghh! This player did more for his teams than pretty much any player playing the game today. He’s a God in Boca (My most hated team- I’m a River Plate fan by the way) and Corinthians (And if Man U/City fans knew any better…). Stop wasting your time judging the guy, he’s a football player.

Mario – you’re right, articles like this partially justify his “Look at Me” histrionics. Also correct in what more can we expect of many footballers? However, this happens so often I thought some sort of rebuttal was warranted.

I cannot agree more. Quite frankly I’m sick & tired of spoilt brat, greedy, lazy footballers coming to England, ‘earning’ stupid amounts of money, and then moving on either for even more OR the quickfix hop to Champions League (Modric?) without a jot of respect for the club or supporters who have put them on this ridiculous pedestal. Yes, Carlos, you’re a joy to watch but a pain in the arse. Bugger of to warm climes with your now bulging bank balance.

City, Stop complaining about the money you are paying. You paid the money becuase you thought he deserved it. And he proved it as well, didn’t he? Now if he wants to move, there should be no problem. You are annoyed because you know how important he is for your team. If an English player, playing outside England, does it and want a transfer to City how will you react? You’ll be more sympathetic I’m sure. Now that’s a different story how overpriced English player often fail miserably while trying to play outside England.

Haider Hussain – you miss the point (and I’m certainly not a City supporter)It doesn’t matter whether these blokes are South American,Italian, Chinese or even English. however talented they may be too many are disloyal overpaid mercenaries who don’t give a shite about their club or supporters – just their bank balance (and yes, Rooney was a good example!)So to reiterate – sod off Tevez!

One more comment I thought important to this discussion. Carlitos has shown “respect” to the clubs and their respective fans every single time he stepped out on the pitch. In Man U he was put on the bench, still every time he was on he gave it all, every time. What else can you ask for? Is his “respect” for Man City not complete, real, etc? Football seems to me to be about results alone, professional or not, for more meaningful emotions there’s the pub.

To close off: I’m Argentine and suffering so much watching my team play these days. With the players we have…my heart is broken. Now, As a fan of the game I strongly dislike Mourinho and his “win no matter what” tactics. But as a fan of my teams (River and Argentina) he can coach them anytime. Just want the pain to stop.

Mario…i live in India..(ofcourse not many people know the craze about football here…especially here in Bengal..)…so many may think of me not fit enough to take part in this discussion..but el carlitos,whenever he played (for west ham,man utd or city) he gave his very best.So I think it’s kinda’ harsh to rebuke Tevez,the way he’s being now.I remember him single-handedly(or leggedly)stop hammers from being relegated in the season he played,or even the efforts he’s put up in the blue side of manchester…we tend to forget easily,don’t we?? -(crazy albiceleste fan)